


Fire and Ice

by Angylsmuse, Orithain



Series: Fourth Pass [24]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:42:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9370676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angylsmuse/pseuds/Angylsmuse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orithain/pseuds/Orithain
Summary: Journeyman Harper arrives at Babalon Weyr, and almost the first person he sees is Greenrider K’vron.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place two Turns before the ‘present’, a few months after the end of the plague.  
> Originally posted March 2003.

_**P10.01.15** _   
_**Babalon Weyr** _

Severin looked around in delight, grey eyes wide with astonishment as he got his first look at a real Weyr. He still couldn’t believe his luck in being assigned to Babalon for his journeyman period, and he was eager to spend time with the weyrharper and learn more about the dragonriders.

His attention was caught by a one of those dragonriders, a tall, dark-haired, incredibly beautiful man who was laughing up in the direction of a green dragon. Sev couldn’t drag his eyes away from the lithe body, and he blushed when the dragonrider, feeling his attention, looked toward him.

K’vron smiled up at Tran lovingly, forever grateful that the green dragon had found something in him that made the green demand she be K’vron’s lifemate. It had been the turning point of his life and had given him something to cling to in a world he often thought had gone mad.

 _You’re being watched, rider-love. It would seem you’ve picked up another admirer_ , Tantrith chuckled, nudging the wingrider delicately with her muzzle to turn him in the right direction. _What is it with you and these clutchlings?_ she laughed silently.

 _Clutchling? Oh shells, Tran, not another moon-eyed kid!_ Kiv moaned, turning his head slightly to see the new admirer... and found himself staring into fathomless grey eyes and a face that could melt even the most frozen of hearts - his own. “Shells, kid he may be but... Damn, I gotta get out of here, Tran, before I do something stupid like say hi!”

Sev knew he was staring and that the dragonrider had caught him, but he still couldn’t tear his eyes away. He’d never seen a more beautiful man or one who looked more tormented in his entire life. Without realizing it, he was moving toward the dragonrider, almost stalking the older man.

He came to halt in front of the bewildered looking man and smiled up at him nervously. “Hello. I’m the new journeyman harper, Severin.”

“Journeyman,” K’vron inclined his head politely, then turning away in what he hoped was an obvious dismissal, without even bothering to introduce himself.

 _You’re being rude, my pretty peacock of a rider,_ Tran said admonishingly.

 _Better to nip this in the bud before I have yet_ another _love-struck young harper writing love songs about me and following me longingly with his eyes. Shells, they were some bad songs, Tran! I just thank my lucky stars that Harper Hallam found another pair to moon over instead of me,_ Kiv replied with a shudder.

 _Yes,_ Tantrith agreed with a mental shiver, _that would have been less than thrilling, but as for the other songs, you smiled and thanked the lad prettily enough to encourage his attentions._

 _I was being polite_ , Kiv shot back.

_So you decide to make up for it now by being rude to this rather nice young man?_

“Behave, dragon,” the greenrider muttered lowly, not realizing he had spoken out loud.

Despite his hurt at the dragonrider’s rather abrupt dismissal, Sev couldn’t hold back a chuckle at the greenrider’s comment. “Seems everything I’ve heard about dragons having a mind of their own is true,” he offered mischievously. “It was a pleasure to meet you, lady dragon.” He half-bowed politely to the green, conspicuously ignoring the rider as he turned away.

 _K’vron, say something nice to the clutchling, or I’ll give you a very uncomfortable ride in drills tomorrow!_ Tantrith threatened her chosen lifemate menacingly.

Sighing heavily and sticking a hasty tongue out at his green brat, K’vron turned. “Greenrider K’vron of the Solar Flare Wing, harper. May I show you the way to the harpers’ quarters?”

Sev’s recent arrival at the Weyr and lack of familiarity with the wing names preventing him from realizing that Kiv had named the queens’ wing, which meant that for the greenrider to be in it, he had to be one of the rare individuals capable of hearing all dragons, a HAD, not that it would have made a difference to him had he known. He hesitated, glancing back over his shoulder. His face was expressionless, but a faint glimmer of hurt still showed in the expressive grey eyes. “My thanks for the offer, dragonrider, but I have no wish to put you out,” he replied formally, again turning to walk away without any idea of what K’vron had just told him.

Unfortunately, his grand exit was rather spoiled when he realized that his guide had vanished while his attention had been focused on the dragonrider. He sighed and came to a stop, unwilling to ask the rider for assistance.

Kiv chuckled softly behind him. “Looks like you’ve been abandoned, harper. Now if you really want to wander around the Weyr till you find the right corridor, you’re welcome to, but since I was heading in that general direction myself...” Kiv trailed off purposely. Turning back to his dragon, he reached up and scratched an eyeridge lovingly. “Be back in half a candlemark tops, gorgeous one; mind waiting to give me a lift home?”

 _For you, rider love, never,_ Tran sighed, leaning into the caress.

“Back soon,” the greenrider replied, turning to walk towards the staircase that would take them down to the upper caverns. When he was about ten paces away, he yelled over his shoulder, “So are you coming, journeyman, or not?”

Sev glared after the man, grumbling, “Smug, annoying...” until he remembered that the man’s dragon was still near him. He looked up nervously, only partially reassured by the lazily whirling green flecks in the dragon’s eyes. “Sorry,” he whispered, “but he _is_.”

Taking a few steps after the greenrider, he yelled back, “I’m not sure. Judging by your oh so friendly attitude so far, how do I know you won’t get me lost in some deep cavern and leave me there?” He grinned wickedly.

Kiv stopped dead and pivoted on his feet to stare at the young harper. A chuckle escaped, followed by a snigger, then a laugh. “Child, if I wanted to dispose of you, I’d drop you off with the other fosterlings and let the foster mothers worry about your welfare,” he replied, feeling rather smug at the slack-jawed stare of the journeyman at being referred to as a child.

Sev shut his mouth with a snap, even more intrigued by this gorgeous dragonrider now that he’d revealed a sense of humor hiding beneath that sad exterior. “Greenrider K’vron, if you think I’m a child, I can only suggest that you seek a healer’s attention for your eyes immediately,” he replied kindly. “Now if you wouldn’t mind showing me where I am to be quartered, I’m looking forward to meeting the inhabitants of Babalon.” He gave a sexy little wiggle to draw the dragonrider’s attention to his assets.

Kiv shook his head and sighed. _Well, you wanted me to be nice; now look what I’ve got to deal with,_ he groused to his dragon, as he strode in front of the young man and led the way towards the dininghall and the corridor that led to the harpers’ area. “This way,” he growled out loud, then proceeded down the staircase and along the pathway at a ground-eating pace.

 _My poor little peacock, done in by harper,_ Tantrith snorted unsympathetically.

Sev scurried after the dragonrider for a few paces, his packs bumping madly, before he abruptly halted and yelled after the older man. “In case you haven’t noticed, your legs are longer than my entire body _and_ I’m carrying several packs. Would you please slow down!” The last was a bark of irritation as his gitar smacked him on the back of the head.

Kiv bit back the smug grin and half turned, arching a slender black eyebrow, even as he purposely posed, showing off his long and lean form, dressed in snug blue wherhides and a matching flight jacket with a tight white shirt beneath. His dragon didn’t call him peacock for nothing, he snickered to himself.

“Having problems, child?” he called out. “Maybe you’d like a hand.”

Sev gritted his teeth, mentally chanting that he could not throw a pack at a dragonrider. “I’d be fine,” he gritted out, “if you would just keep in mind that not all of us are as fertilized as you.” He bared his teeth in something that pretended to be a smile. “But if you’re offering, yes, it would be very kind of you to take one of my packs.”

He glanced away then smiled at the dragonrider. “You know, I think I feel the inspiration for my next song coming on.”

Kiv stepped back a pace, startled. Damn, the child really was a harper; he knew how to look for weak spots and go straight for the jugular. Two could play at that game, however. “Feel free to. It won’t be the first song a harper’s written about me or the last, no doubt. According to Tantrith, I seem to inspire all manner of people, dragonrider and crafter alike,” he replied with a resigned sigh as he grabbed a pack and slung it over his shoulder.

“Got another harper panting after you, Kiv?” one of his friends shouted out jokingly as he watched the scene from nearby.

“Go bend a tail, will ya?” Kiv shot back, glaring at the brownrider, suddenly feeling protective of the child. “He’s new; he needed to know where to go; and I was heading that way to grab something to eat. Just because your brown didn’t catch my lady last time she rose...” he trailed off with a smug grin.

“You coming, Severin?” he asked softly.

Ignoring K’vron for the moment, Sev grinned over at the brownrider, amused. “This harper has a name, dragonrider, and _I_ don’t pant after people. Quite the opposite.” He turned back to K’vron, fighting back a frown at the idea of him with the brownrider. _Careful, Sev,_ he thought to himself, _it’s nothing to you what this man does with his time. You don’t even know him._

He smiled somewhat distantly at the greenrider. “After you, K’vron.”

Leading the way, Kiv gladly relinquished the pack and let the harper wander down the right corridor towards the Weyrharper’s office. He’d be taken care of from there. Oddly enough he was no longer hungry - in fact... “Shells, why him and why now?” he whispered harshly, stalking back to his dragon. _I am_ not _going to think about some grey-eyed, feline-like harper with the most amazing hair I’ve ever seen in my life. Jays, what would it feel like to have all that hair wrapped around my..._ Kiv slammed that line of thought shut.

“Goodbye and good riddance, Harper Severin, and may our paths cross rarely,” he muttered harshly, mounting Tantrith for a quick trip home, still plagued by grey eyes and red hair.

~*~*~

Unfortunately, K’vron’s wish was destined to be unfulfilled as he wandered into the dininghall the next night to see what harper was playing, and silver eyes met dark grey over the harper’s gitar. And then the song registered. A song about him as promised... except this one wasn’t a love song; this one was a comic song.

“Why that little...” Kiv’s eyes narrowed as he watched the mischievous smile spread over the harper’s face. “Fine thanks I get for helping the little brat,” he fumed, snagging a drudge and ordering a jug of wine, then stalking to a dark corner to be alone with his drinks and his brooding thoughts.

Sev grinned in delight when the greenrider appeared in the cavern, fighting back laughter when K’vron noticed the song he was singing. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t warned the man. There was good reason why wise men hesitated to get on the bad side of harpers. As he finished the song, Sev frowned when he saw the greenrider seclude himself in a dark corner.

Waving off shouts for more, Sev motioned to one of the others to take over the task of entertaining, caught up a glass of wine and followed the older man.

“Come now, greenrider, you can’t be such a poor sport as to be sulking because I sang a song about you?” he laughed as he settled facing K’vron. “Why not join the crowd and have some fun tonight?”

Kiv eyed the harper coldly. “Perhaps I don’t wish to have fun, journeyman,” he replied, icy sarcasm dripping from every word. “And don’t flatter yourself, ask anyone here - I don’t sulk - I don’t need to sulk.” Looking up, he saw the bluerider he’d shared a flight with walking towards him, a handsome young blond with an easy smile and a gentle manner.

“Hey, handsome, was wondering if you’d care for a repeat of last sevenday?” the bluerider said by way of introduction.

Sev found himself nearly snarling at the blond dragonrider, wanting to shove him off a cliff. Ignoring the man, who was probably very pleasant under other circumstances, he stood up stiffly. “Forgive me for intruding on your time, greenrider. I won’t make that mistake again,” he said icily.

With a final, poisonous glare at the blond dragonrider, Sev stalked away, avoiding the gathering in favor of heading back to his own quarters where he could wallow in his misery.

Kiv stared after the young man, a puzzled look on his face. “What in the first egg was all that about?” he asked, baffled.

The bluerider chuckled. “I’d say that _that_ was a rather jealous harper in a rage. Jays, is he miffed. How do you do it, Kiv? Not even here a full day and he’s already enamored? And he hasn’t even flown you yet,” the blond laughed.

“Umm - you’ll forgive me if I say no to that offer of a second flight?” Kiv replied gently, still staring after the harper.

 _Lyssa love, can you come here?_ he sent to his green flit, as he absently acknowledged the bluerider’s happy acceptance and request to let him know if Kiv ever changed his mind.

The green flit appeared overhead, settling on the table in front of him. Giving Lyssa a mental image of the man he wanted her to find, he was soon following her mental pictures as she chased down the harper outside his quarters.

Sev grumbled all the way to his quarters, muttering about stubborn, blind dragonriders and ignorant fools. He stopped outside the door, groaning as he replayed the last few minutes in his head. He’d made a complete idiot of himself in front of the two dragonriders. It wasn’t as if he had the slightest claim on K’vron. He barely knew the man.

He was startled by the appearance of a green flitter behind him, knowing immediately that it wasn’t Blossom. His green was much smaller and lighter than this one.

“Hello, little one,” he greeted, smiling despite his embarrassment and misery. “What are you doing here?”

Lyssa crooned at the strange man and hovered in the air, waiting for her human to arrive. The soft sound of footsteps echoed the corridor, and Kiv turned the corner to see Lyssa and Severin eyeing each other carefully.

“Mind telling me what the blazes that was all about, Journeyman Severin,” he asked softly, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest, an eyebrow quirked in question.

Sev groaned softly. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to just forget about it?” He sighed when the dragonrider just stared at him. “I didn’t think so. There’s no way I could possibly explain it, so let’s just chalk it up to being temporarily sunstruck, all right? I promise I’ll stay away from you and not enact any more insane scenes.” He hoped desperately that K’vron would take him at his word and go. It hurt to look at the man.

Kiv just shook his head and continued to stare at the younger man. “Nice try, Journeyman, but no dice; you acted - well, as if someone was poaching on your territory, and I’d really like to know why that is.”

Sev groaned again and shut his eyes in acute embarrassment. “Shards, why can’t you just leave it alone?” His eyes popped open to glare at the other man. “It was an acute case of wishful thinking, okay? Can I go now, or have I not embarrassed myself sufficiently for your pleasure?”

Kiv watched the younger man carefully. “And the way you acted in the dininghall didn’t embarrass me? It’s a good thing I had no intention on taking him up on that offer - otherwise I might have had a lot of explaining to do,” K’vron pointed out gently.

“I may be a bit of a dark sort of person, but I never intentionally hurt anyone - or embarrass anyone. Good evening, Harper. I’m sorry to have troubled you. From now on I’ll avoid the dininghall except at meal times.” K’vron quickly turned the corner and began to walk towards Tran, his stride quickening with each step as he tried desperately to get out of there, not understanding his sudden despair at not seeing a man he’d only met two days ago again.

Sev stared after K’vron in dismay, wondering how things had gotten so confused. “No, wait!” he cried, running after the dragonrider, trying to catch up. “Please, that’s not what I meant.”

He fell to his knees, panting, knowing he didn’t have a hope of outrunning the older man’s longer legs. “That’s not what I wanted,” he whispered, a sob escaping him.

Kiv stopped at the sound of the cried out request but didn’t see anyone behind him. Lyssa chose that moment to send him an image of the young stranger, on his knees, looking sad.

“Shells,” he whispered harshly, torn between what to do. If he turned back, he’d be opening himself up for all the hurt and heartache he’d built up those walls of ice around his heart to avoid. But he couldn’t just...

“Dammit to the star and back,” he cursed softly, striding back the way he came and finding his flit hovering protectively over the young man. “Go home, my lovely, and thank you,” he whispered before offering the smaller man a hand in assistance.

Sev stared up at him miserably, not making a move to take the offered hand. “I’m sorry,” he choked out. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, and I know _you_ weren’t trying to embarrass me. I managed that quite well on my own.” He looked away, unable to bear the sight of the man he wanted so much and couldn’t have. “But you don’t have to worry about any repetitions. I’m going to ask to be reassigned.”

Kiv let out a resigned sigh. Oh, this one was going to have such power over him. This one could shatter his heart beyond repair with a careless word. He was in big trouble here.

“Even if I don’t want you reassigned?” the greenrider asked softly.

Sev’s head jerked up to stare at him in surprise. “Wha—But... but...” He snapped his mouth shut on the incoherent babbling, unable to form a sentence if his life depended on it. His eyes searched Kiv’s with dawning hope, yet he remained huddled on the floor at the dragonrider’s feet.

“A cold stone floor probably isn’t the best place for a harper if he wants to keep his vocal chords healthy,” Kiv replied with an arch of his eyebrow, hand still extended, waiting patiently.

Sev frowned, finally accepting the proffered hand and rising to his feet. He regarded K’vron searchingly, utterly confused. “I don’t understand you,” he said at last.

“Well that makes two of us, because I sure as shards don’t understand me either,” Kiv shrugged fatalistically. “You... confuse me, harper. I don’t think anyone’s ever managed to confuse me before.”

Sev laughed almost hysterically. “Well, that’s just fine. I’m making a complete fool of myself; my sharding flitter is enjoying a mating flight with my other flitter; and _you’re_ confused? I never thought I’d say this, but I wish I’d never left the harperhall.” He stared at his feet as if he’d never seen them before, fighting the urge to throw himself at the dragonrider.

“You’ve got two flits mating right now?” Kiv asked incredulously. “No wonder you’re so on edge. That’s gotta play havoc with your... preferences,” the greenrider continued. “Thank the first egg I’ve only got females! C’mon, harper, how ‘bout I buy you an ale or something to get your mind off things?” he asked softly, not quite sure if he should offer to help any other way or if he was ready to - because this time there was no way he could blame dragonlust. This time it would be real, and it would be his choice.

Sev sighed but knew he had to clarify a few things. “Yes, Blossom and Klah—don’t laugh!--are probably directly responsible for my lack of finesse, but they have nothing to do with my preferences.” His eyes ran up and down Kiv’s body greedily. “Those have been established for Turns.”

K’vron shivered at the heat that washed over him as the younger man’s eyes raked over him. _Shells, if he can get me hot with a look,_ the bluerider thought, slightly panicked.

Taking an involuntary step back, he replied, “Well, part of being a dragonrider is your preferences are out in the open for everyone to see; they just have to look at your dragon. No mystery for me. Tran,” Kiv’s eyes grew soft at the memory, “Tantrith was real insistent. Impressed me from the stands no less.”

Shaking off the memory with a slight shifting of his head, he half smiled at the other man. “About that ale?”

Sev, with another mercurial mood swing, pouted up at him. “I can’t interest you in anything else?” He slowly paced toward the dragonrider, much like a feline stalking its prey.

Kiv chuckled, somewhat nervously, and backed up a few more paces, then a few more until he was crowded up against a doorway.

“I take it your lady just got caught, hunh?” he tried to joke, but his nervousness and his body’s involuntary reaction to such a gorgeous young man stalking him made him sound more desperate than amusing.

Sev shrugged. “Not yet. She likes to tease. You remind me a lot of her,” he breathed against Kiv’s chest. One finger rose to trace a path down that gorgeous body, only pausing when it reached the fastening on the shirt. He looked up at K’vron. “Tell me to stop now if you’re going to.”

Kiv’s mouth opened, but no sound came out; his jaw worked feverishly to make the words, but he couldn’t utter them. It was as if someone had severed his vocal chords. His eyes closed with an inarticulate moan, and his whole posture changed to something more... submissive and soft.

Eyes falling shut, his head tipped back to rest against the cool stone behind him, surrendering to something that almost seemed... predestined.

Sev nearly crowed aloud when the dragonrider suddenly surrendered to him, but he was too busy tasting the chest he’d bared. He licked every inch of luscious flesh, delving beneath Kiv’s clothing to reach more of him, then nipped at the older man’s collar bone, moaning in frustration when he couldn’t reach any higher.

“I... shells, inside please?” Kiv managed to stammer out, his body aflame with need as he arched his neck for better access to the harper’s needy mouth

Sev stared at him blankly for a moment, then blushed when he realized he’d been close to taking the other man in a hallway. He grabbed Kiv’s hand, not wanting to let go of him and chance him changing his mind, and drew him into his chamber.

Once inside, Sev paused to admire the beautiful man, staring at him as he rapidly stripped off his own clothing, then advanced on the dragonrider to bare him as well.

Kiv stared at the beautiful and very naked man stalking towards him intently, and felt the first faint twinges of alarm. If he did this, he’d be letting the harper in. It wouldn’t just be sex; it would be...

“I don’t think I can do this,” he whispered, panicking as he realized that he was getting emotionally involved despite his efforts to the contrary. “I think that maybe it would be better if I left. I made a mistake - a bad mistake,” he continued, his voice becoming more obviously alarmed as his eyes skittered around, looking any and everywhere except at Severin.

Sev stopped in his tracks, eyes widening. Much as he wanted the other man, he didn’t want to, could never, force him. He turned his back, shoulders hunching.

“Then go,” he snapped miserably. “And don’t worry, we won’t ever mention this again. In fact, I’d say I had the right idea earlier. I’ll be gone from Babalon within the sevenday.” He laughed bitterly. “Before the end of tomorrow if at all possible.”

“Shells, I can’t even do this right, can I?” K’vron whispered darkly. “Can’t save the people I love, can’t make people love me, can’t heal... can’t let anyone touch me for fear of being hurt again,” he managed to get out, his voice breaking. Wheeling out of the room, he bolted towards his dragon as if Thread were in the sky, when in fact the only thing chasing him was his own fears.

Sev stared after the vanishing dragonrider, his mind turning over the words he’d spoken. Realizing that the problem wasn’t K’vron’s lack of interest but rather that he feared excessive interest, Sev was heartened.

“All right, dragonrider, I’m just going to have to prove you wrong. You’ve already made me fall more than half in love with you. Now I just have to get you to stand still long enough to convince you of that.” Sev grinned, planning his campaign.

Kiv clambered up Tran’s back and held on as the green headed home to their weyr, her mind voice soft with worry and constantly reassuring her rider that he was loved, was never alone, that Kiv was a good and brave man, as he’d proven over and over in his service to Pern.

“Then why won’t people love me, Tran? Really love me, not just want me for sex or breeding?” he whispered harshly as they landed on his weyrledge.

Tiredly the greenrider untacked his lifemate and hugged her good night, before heading into his weyr and back into the sleeping chamber, stripping out of his clothes automatically, and curling into a tight ball in his bed. It was a long time before he drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~

The following morning Sev watched the entrance to the dining cavern and was lucky enough to spot K’vron before he entered. Sev sidled up to him, stopping the greenrider.

“You were wrong about one thing last night, K’vron. I’m falling in love with you, and I’m not going to give up till you love me too.” Sev smiled sunnily at the stunned man and sauntered back to his table to finish his meal.

Kiv’s jaw dropped, and he stood there like a stunned wherry until one of his wingmates called him over. _What in the name of the first egg?_

 _He said he was falling in love with you. Admit it, rider-love, you’re falling in love with him too,_ Tantrith pointed out gently, admitting she’d been listening to the conversation.

 _No. Love... hurts, Tran; they all leave me, everyone but you. They realize I’m not good enough, and they leave me. Can’t do it again,_ he replied miserably, pushing his food around on his plate then shoving it abruptly away and standing. “Sorry, guys, lost my appetite; see you in the skies,” he replied to the queries of his wingmates.

Before he thought better of it, he was outside and heading towards the weyrlake, hoping to find someplace to put his whirling thoughts back into order, hoping the sounds of everyday life—the uncluttered thoughts of the Weyr’s dragons, the childish sounds of the hatchlings as they explored their new world and their new lifemates—would sooth him and help restore his balance. K’vron was just thankful that there were no proddy greens or queen flights today, or he’d have been a total basket case.

Sev watched the dragonrider toy with his food then stride out of the cavern. Before he could think better of it, he jumped to his feet and followed the other man, ignoring the knowing laughter of his tablemates.

Once outside he spotted K’vron in the distance and headed after him determinedly, intending to convince him of his sincerity. He was a harper after all; surely he could out-argue a dragonrider.

Kiv found a secluded spot, hidden between two boulders and sat, his mind spinning. Could he be falling in love, like Tantrith said? But that would mean that he’d be wide open to hurt and rejection, and surely when Severin found out that it was his fault his parents died, the harper would want nothing to do with him, just like his grandfather.

He was just so tired, K’vron thought. He’d slept badly and woken up heart sore. “Why me? Why did he have to pick me?” he whispered to the air.

“Because you’re beautiful and kind and I can’t imagine loving anyone else now that I’ve met you,” a soft voice replied. Sev sank to his knees beside K’vron, watching him but not touching him. “Why won’t you believe that?”

“Because I kill people,” Kiv replied hollowly. “Everyone I love dies or blames me for those who do die, so how can I believe that, harper? How can I believe that I’m all those things you think I am when I know I’m not?” he managed to get out around a choked off sob.

“I can’t even convince my dragon that I wasn’t meant to be a dragonrider. She keeps saying that all HADs belong to dragons, even when they don’t Impress. Tran figures that I was always meant to belong to her, that it was inevitable. Who’d have thought I’d end up with a crazy dragon?”

Sev reached out, wrapping his arms around the dragonrider, ignoring the way he stiffened. “Shh, love. I know all about it, and it was _not_ your fault. No healer can cure every illness. I’m so sorry that you lost your family, but there was nothing more you could have done. Your grandfather was wrong to blame you in his grief.” Sev spared a thought of gratitude toward the weyrharper, who’d answered his not so subtle questions about K’vron.

It took everything Kiv had not to wrench himself away from the harper, in shock and something close to fear. “H... how did you know about that?” he gasped, shocked that the younger man already knew so much about him when he’d been at the Weyr not even a sevenday.

Sev had the grace to blush and look away momentarily. Then he shrugged and met the dragonrider’s eyes. “I asked, Kiv. I wanted to know more about you. And everyone talks to a harper. It wasn’t hard.” He sighed. “I’d rather have heard it from you, but I was pretty sure that wasn’t going to happen, and I needed to know why.”

“Now I do, and I’m not going to let you chase me away out of some misguided sense of guilt,” he finished defiantly.

“You’re presuming a sharding lot, Journeyman Severin,” Kiv shot back, his not inconsiderable temper coming to the surface in an attempt to protect himself.

Wrenching himself out of the harper’s arms, he shot to his feet. “You just assume that now you know I’m gonna go all green and sigh and melt into your arms? Guess again!”

Sev’s own temper flared in response. This was, after all, the man who’d walked out on him when he was standing naked in front of him. Something like that tended to bruise a man’s ego. “Who asked you to sigh and melt?” he snapped. “Unlike some, I happen to like equal partners in bed. But I guess you wouldn’t understand that.” He shot to his feet, furious, glaring up at the infuriating man.

“Forget it - just... ah shells, I just suck at this sort of stuff, okay; why don’t we both just forget the entire thing,” Kiv sighed, then cocked his head as his eyes grew distant.

“I gotta go; I got drills. See you around, harper,” Kiv mumbled, heading off towards where his dragon waited for him.

“Shaffit!” Sev yelled. “Would you stop running away! If you really don’t want me, say so, and I’ll be gone before you can blink. But if this is just more punishing yourself for being alive, I really wish you’d stop!”

“I’m not running away, dammit! I’ve got drills! See those dragons in the air? That’s my wing! And seeing as how my wingleader is the Weyrwoman and the wingsecond the Weyrwoman Second, it’s really not a good idea for me to be late,” Kiv shot back, ignoring the looks he was getting.

“Crap, can’t believe I’m saying this,” he breathed. “Look, I’ve got to go, but after drills I’ll probably be heading back to my weyr for the rest of the day. If you wanna talk, just send a flit and... shaffit, I’ll come get you!” With that he pelted off to where Tantrith was impatiently waiting.

Sev stared after him, startled both by his abrupt departure and by the fact that he really did have a reason for leaving. “But he wants to talk to me,” he whispered, a huge smile breaking across his face as he watched the green dragon rise. He settled back to the ground, content to watch the man for a little while, at least until he had to join the weyrharper in teaching the children.

~*~*~

Kiv eased into his bathing pool and grimaced as his sore muscles protested. Why the shell had he decided to finish his drills then hit the practice field with the armscrafter to practice his swordsmanship?

 _You wanted to avoid the little harper_ , Tran pointed out magnanimously.

 _Did I ask you for your opinion, mother wher?_ he asked sarcastically, ducking under the water to wet his shoulder length black hair in order to give it a good scrubbing. Shells, he hated being sweaty and sore. It was so... ick!

Sev had waited impatiently while K’vron did swordwork after drills rather than going back to his weyr as he’d said, but now the stubborn dragonrider was in his weyr, alone. In fact, judging by the rather attractive images Klah sent him when he returned from his trip in search of the dragonrider, K’vron was settled in his bath. Sev practically purred at the image. Now if only there was some way for him to get there without having to ask Kiv to fetch him.

Spotting a greenrider nearby, his eyes lit up. “Could you do me favor?” he asked. “Would you mind giving me a lift up to K’vron’s weyr?” He flushed slightly, but continued, “And asking your dragon to bespeak Tantrith and ask her not to tell Kiv I’m coming?”

The young greenrider gave him a knowing smirk but nodded, and Sev waited impatiently for the green’s reply.

Kiv lathered and rinsed his hair twice before he felt clean enough to work on his body. After a good, harsh scrubbing that caused his skin to glow pink, he tiredly wrapped a towel around his waist and wandered into his sleeping chamber, collapsing on his bed. He’d gotten very little sleep the night before, and what he did get was less than restful.

Thinking to close his eyes and rest for a few minutes, Kiv didn’t even notice when rest turned to slumber.

Sev smiled at Tran as he cautiously eased off the green. “Thank you, Tantrith,” he whispered. “I promise I’ll make him happy.” He grinned suddenly. “But I may have to tie him up for a while first.”

He squared his shoulders and marched into the weyr, expecting to hear an irate dragonrider bellowing at him at every step. Instead, he found the older man sound asleep in his bed, a frown on his face even as he slumbered. “Oh love, I’m going to make you smile again,” Sev vowed.

Tantrith did a fair imitation of a chuckle as she watched the young harper walk into her lifemate’s weyr. Her peacock didn’t stand a chance, and Tran was looking forward to watching her rider fall.

Kiv tossed restlessly, strange dreams of icy prisons and flames dancing all around him invading his subconscious. Cold - he felt so cold, and then he was surrounded by fire.

The abrupt change in body temperatures was so shocking that it jolted him from slumber to wakefulness... and he found himself staring up into Severin’s face.

“What are you...” And then the rest of his senses kicked in and told him what his stunned mind refused to grasp.

Sev smiled down at him, sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed, trying not to crowd the other man too much. “Hi. You said I could talk to you after your drills if I wanted to,” he reminded the greenrider. “I decided to take you up on the offer.”

He laughed softly. “I thought it might be a new and intriguing idea to actually have one of these conversations in private.”

Kiv stared at the younger man, doing a passable impression of a slack-jawed halfwit, his mind still more asleep than awake.

“But how did you get up here - and why didn’t Tran tell me? I don’t understand,” he admitted, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and looking very much like a small child as he did so.

Sev knew he would probably regret it, but he couldn’t resist the sleep-rumpled, adorable man. He leaned over and kissed him softly, tongue licking at his lips briefly before pulling back. He smiled, a hand coming up to stroke Kiv’s hair.

“One of the weyrlings gave me a ride up after Tantrith said it was all right,” he admitted.

“Oh,” was all Kiv managed get out as once more heat sizzled along his nerve endings and sensitized his skin.

He was still sleep softened enough that he reacted without thinking and pulled the younger man down for another, more thorough kiss, never realizing that the towel finally fell away from him due to his movements, exposing him to the harper.

Sev moaned softly, a tiny, reasoning part of his brain knowing that the other man was still half-asleep and he shouldn’t take advantage. The rest of him was happily drowning in sensation as he sprawled on top of the naked dragonrider, their groins pressed together. He parted his lips, letting Kiv claim him, whimpering his pleasure into the older man’s mouth.

“Sev,” the greenrider managed to moan out, acknowledging at last that he knew full well who this was and what was going on. “Please - shells, so cold, make me burn - please, Sev,” he whispered desperately, needing desperately to feel the warmth of a human touch once more, the human touch of _this_ man. Regrets and recriminations could come later - after he was alone again.

Sev purred in his ear, writhing on top of him as he disposed of his clothes. “Not cold, lover, hot. Incredibly hot. You make me burn for you. We’ll burn together, Kiv, then start all over again.” He licked the gorgeous chest beneath him, paying particular attention to the sensitive nipples. “So beautiful, mine, all mine. Gonna make you feel so good you’ll never leave me.” He moaned softly. “Touch me, Kiv, please. I need to feel your hands on me.”

The greenrider whimpered softly, his head falling back on the pillow, exposing his throat for the taking. His hands began to slowly chart the younger man’s body, learning curve and plane, wrapping around the long skein of red sisal that Severin called hair, his fingers diving into it and sliding through the soft mass.

“Sev...” he whispered over and over, like a mantra

Sev moaned softly, loving the sensation of Kiv’s fingers in his hair, unbraiding it, letting it fall free around them until it surrounded them in their own private world. He writhed on top of Kiv, unable to remain still, luxuriating in the touch of skin against skin. Much as he wanted to seduce the dragonrider slowly, however, his own hunger was too strong, too demanding, and he slowly sat up, hands braced on the muscular chest.

“I need to feel you inside me, Kiv,” he rasped. “Tell me you want that too.”

“Shells, oh shells,” K’vron muttered, feeling the younger man plastered against his chest. “Want you so bad it hurts. Knew this sort of stuff always made you hurt, but never knew it made you hurt so good!” the greenrider moaned softly

Sev chuckled softly, smiling at Kiv so he’d know he wasn’t laughing at the older man. “Everything between us is good, Kiv. I can’t believe we’re finally here together. I’ve wanted you so much, it was like an ache inside me. I don’t know whether I want to get inside you more or feel you inside me. I want everything all at once.” He chuckled shakily again, lowering his head to lick Kiv’s chest. “You taste so good.”

“I... don’t know what to do,” Kiv confessed softly, “I mean I know what to do - but... it was just sex. This is gonna be something more, I know this is going to be something more and... I’m terrified,” the greenrider confessed softly.

Sev wrapped his arms around the other man, holding him tightly. “Don’t be afraid, love. I only want to make you happy. I know I can if you’ll just let me try.” He stared at his lover hopefully, hands stroking the beautiful body.

“But everyone I ever let in leaves me in the end. How can I trust that you’ll be different?” he asked fearfully.

Sev stroked his face tenderly. “I promise you I’ll never leave you. Actually, you’ll need to pry me away with a crowbar,” he laughed. “Now that I’ve got you in my clutches, dragonrider, you’re mine.” He hesitated. “If you want to be?”

Kiv stared up into the soft grey eyes and tried to gauge the other man’s sincerity in his eyes. “I... I don’t know; shells, I’m so confused!” he moaned softly.

Sev gazed back pleadingly. “Then stop thinking and feel, K’vron. Please, trust me. Or at least trust your own feelings. Don’t turn me away,” he pleaded.

“I... please,” the greenrider begged softly, pulling the younger man down for another kiss. “Teach me how to do this right - please?”

Sev moaned into the kiss, melting into the dragonrider’s arms. “You’re doing everything perfectly, lover. Any better and all you’d have left would be a little puddle of melted harper.”

Kiv chuckled, “Why do I think that wouldn’t be a bad thing?” he joked softly, then moaned as he felt their cocks rub together, reminding him that they were both naked. “Oh jays!” His back arched as arousal flared hotter than before. “Severin!”

Sev gasped softly at the sound of his name cried out in husky tones of arousal by Kiv. “So beautiful, so sharding beautiful.” He squirmed, rubbing his entire body against Kiv. “I can’t believe you’re finally here with me. Let me love you, Kiv. Please let me love you,” he whimpered desperately.

“Yes,” K’vron breathed softly, watching the young man with passion-blackened eyes.

Sev gasped, almost disbelieving that Kiv was finally his, but he wasted no time in claiming that beautiful body. His hands lovingly mapped every contour, his lips following, licking and sucking, marking the dragonrider as his. “I need to be inside you,” he rasped.

Kiv moaned as the sensations crashed over him - each brush of the younger man’s lips or hands was fiery hot, branding him as Sev’s unconditionally. _This_ was what he’d been longing for his whole life, this unconditional loving - this claiming of his body, mind and heart. It knit his wounded psyche back together stronger than it had been prior to the shattering.

“Yes, please, Sev - make me whole again,” he whispered softly, shamelessly writhing on the bed underneath the tiny redheaded dynamo.

“Whole, wonderfully, beautifully whole, and all mine,” Sev whispered, his mouth still traveling over his lover, tracing a path down his chest. “My beautiful dragonrider. I hated that bluerider for knowing you. I wanted you to be mine from the first moment I saw you. I knew I would love you forever.” His tongue licked lower, flicking around the base of Kiv’s straining erection, teasing him.

“Want you to remember me forever, only me,” he whispered just before he took the full length inside his mouth.

“Jays,” Kiv managed to get out in a garbled half-cry as light and heat exploded behind closed eyes. “Not possible to for-forget you,” he managed to gasp out as wave after wave of hot need crashed through him.

Kiv’s head tossed restlessly on the pillow, his once immaculate hair now tousled by fingers and sheets, making the greenrider look even more debauched than before. “Need you in me - please - oh shells please, Sev!” he whimpered softly, his whole being reeling under the sensual assault.

Sev slowly pulled back his head, tongue slowly trailing along the shaft, until his lips just brushed the damp head as he murmured, “Not yet, lover. I have so much more to show you first.”

He shook his head, allowing his hair to fall loose around them, and took a long lock in his fist, lighting dusting the sensitive head of Kiv’s cock with the ends. He alternated that with light flicks of his tongue, occasionally delving inside the tiny slit with the tip of his tongue or the ticklish hair. “I’m going to make you feel so good,” he breathed.

Kiv’s breath hitched and came out in a strangled scream. This was nothing like the flights he’d participated in. Flights and making love was like comparing walking to flying on dragonback. Shells, how was he ever gonna survive this?

He whimpered as his hips bucked upwards, trying desperately to embed his cock in the younger man’s mouth, to increase the sensation, to stimulate himself to orgasm. “Sev,” he whined breathlessly, “please, shells please - anything just... jays!” The greenrider’s body arched off the bed, and the tendons in his neck stood out in stark relief as another wave of sensation crashed over him, causing him to whimper loudly.

Sev opened his mouth, allowing Kiv’s erection to slide into his throat when he arched off the bed, then followed him down, keeping the entire length buried, throat muscles strengthened by turns of voice lessons milking him. His fingers crept between Kiv’s widespread legs, teasing at the sensitive sac, driving him ever closer to orgasm. Wanting his lover to come apart for him, he carefully worked one finger inside the older man, stroking the sensitive gland.

Kiv felt as if he were being unraveled, ripped apart at the seams. Never had it felt like this, never had he so longed to be taken. But now he was—Severin was driving him, leading him, taking him over the edge of pleasure and tumbling him into oblivion.

“Sev, jays, so good, so... yours!” he shouted the last as he finally found the relief he craved, his hot seed pouring into the younger man’s diabolically talented mouth.

Sev pulled back slightly, wanting to taste Kiv, and he swallowed his lover’s seed, sucking on the sensitive cock until there was nothing left. He slowly allowed the softening flesh to fall from his mouth with a final flick of his tongue that pulled a whimper from the older man.

“My beautiful lover,” he whispered, hot eyes raking the satiated form beneath him. “Gonna make you forget every other man.” His finger, now accompanied by another, still rested inside Kiv, slowly stretching his lover. He caught up a container of sweet oil, working some into Kiv’s ass. He stared into the greenrider’s heavy-lidded eyes as he slowly, carefully slid inside, filling him.

Kiv shuddered at the intensity of the feelings coursing through him. Closing his eyes, he tried to memorize every minute sensation, to store them away for when he was alone.

When he felt Sev slowly enter him, it was the most erotic, overwhelmingly beautiful feeling he’d ever had. He felt whole, complete, surrounded and loved and cared for.

“Sev,” he sighed softly, a gentle smile illuminating his face as his eyes opened, showing their dreamy silver depths.

“Kiv-love,” the harper replied, storm-grey eyes absorbing every nuance of expression. “I love you so much,” he rasped, slowly withdrawing till only the tip of him remained inside the dragonrider, teasing them both, then equally slowly pushing back inside him. He repeated the motion again and again, his entire body quivering with the tension of restraining himself. “Want to make you feel good.” He bit his lips, eyes closing briefly. “Being inside you is like coming home, Kiv-love.”

Kiv moaned and arched into the lazy thrust, his eyes watching, absorbing every look and expression. “Sev... do you really...?” he trailed off, not daring to believe that someone so wonderful and young and fresh and perfect would want a jaded, broken man like himself.

“I’ve never had anyone tell me... I don’t know what it feels like but... I’d die if you ever left me; I just know I would,” he managed to choke out.

Sev whispered, “You’ll never have to worry about that. I’ll never leave you, and I don’t think I could ever let you go. I love you so much, need you so much. I feel like I’m complete for the first time in my life.” He slowly sped his thrusts, needing to feel Kiv around him.

“Yes, shells yes!” Kiv cried out, to his lover’s response or his thrust, the greenrider was unsure - perhaps it was to both. All Kiv knew was that he was complete for the first time in his life, the part that wasn’t filled by his green love was filled by this fireball who was claiming K’vron as his own.

Hearing Kiv accept him was too much for Sev, and he cried out in ecstasy as his body spasmed, the pleasure racing through him as he exploded deep inside his love’s body. He slumped over the older man, long strands of hair sticking to both sweaty bodies, panting.

“I love you,” he repeated, softly yet firmly. “And someday, I’m going to hear you say that you love me too.”

Kiv sniffled softly and wrapped his arms around the younger man, his face burying itself into the crook of Sev’s neck.

“You mean as much to me as Tran,” he managed to husk out, knowing that it was as close as he could come to saying the words Sev wanted to hear at the moment.

“No one else has ever got this close - this deep.”

Sev smiled, a finger softly tracing Kiv’s lips, knowing how hard that was for him to say. “No one else ever will. You’re _mine_ ,” he vowed. His lips replaced his finger, claiming Kiv’s mouth in a long, seeking kiss before he once again slid down the older man’s body. He took the half-hard cock in his mouth again, slowly stimulating it back to rigidity.

“Jays, Severin!” Kiv’s gasp was closer to a shrill as his body felt like he’d been struck by lightening, his arousal cresting again, causing him to regain his full tumescence.

Weaving his fingers through his lover’s long, soft hair, Kiv held on for dear life as his world spun once more out of control, and all because a pair of lush, naughty lips were wrapped around his cock, driving it wild with need.

Satisfied with the greenrider’s reaction, Sev sat up, shifting to kneel astride his lover, hands braced on his chest. Still relaxed from his recent climax, he didn’t bother to prepare himself, simply slicking some of the oil onto Kiv’s erection, then lowering himself against the rigid shaft.

A faint gasp escaped him as the head popped inside him, and he stilled, waiting for his body to grow accustomed to the large presence within it.

“Sev?!” K’vron managed to gasp out as he felt himself engulfed in hot, tight heat.

“Oh, jays yes!” It was unbelievable; he was inside his lover! The tiny moan from above him made him look up in wonder. He was pleasing Severin without dragon lust being involved. “Please, sweetheart, oh please,” he murmured.

Sev focused on him hazily, the pleasure muddling his thinking. He caught his lip between his teeth as he sank down on Kiv, engulfing his length in the heat of his body. He cried out as Kiv brushed against his prostate, white bursts of pleasure flashing behind his closed eyelids, and his head fell back, hair falling over his back and Kiv’s legs in a silken cascade.

He whimpered as he forced himself to rise, then allowed gravity to slam him back down on his lover. “So good,” he moaned, eyes fixing desperately on Kiv.

“Perfect,” Kiv groaned, his hands sliding down to grasp Sev’s waist, helping him rise and fall on his erection.

“So beautiful,” Kiv continued, his eyes full of unconscious adoration as he watched Severin’s erotic dance.

“Want to feel you come inside me,” Sev whispered hotly. “Need to feel you fill me. Shards, so good, so full, never felt anything like this, like you.” He squirmed, crying out when the shift pushed Kiv against the gland inside him again. He moved faster, whimpering when it wasn’t enough. “Need more, need you,” he babbled, frantic for something, he wasn’t sure what.

“You have me - I’m yours,” Kiv confessed softly, one hand releasing a hip and wrapping around Sev’s again hard cock, pumping it in time to his movements.

“Will never belong to anyone else the way I belong to you,” he swore softly as he felt his body begin to tighten, heralding its release.

Sev screamed, his body tightening around Kiv, back arching into a deep curve as the pleasure exploded through him once again, feeling Kiv spasm beneath him at the same instant. As the pleasure receded, he fought to stay upright, not wanting Kiv to slip out of him yet.

“Sev,” K’vron murmured softly, pulling the younger man down so that he could taste his lover again - taste himself on Sev.

“Stay with me tonight - please?” he asked softly, hoping he didn’t sound too needy.

Sev sighed softly as his lover slipped out of him, but his sense of loss was lessened by the kiss Kiv pressed on him. “I keep telling you, Greenrider K’vron, I _love_ you. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here tonight, and every night for the rest of our lives... if you’ll have me.”

Kiv’s eyes darkened slightly and his bottom lip quivered ever so minutely. “I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you - and no one’s ever asked me to ‘have’ them. How could I say no?”

A happy smile blossomed on Sev’s face. “You can’t. You’re stuck with me now, dragonrider. You could even say you Impressed me,” he finished slyly.

Kiv chuckled, a rusty, ill-used sound. “Can’t say that I’m going to complain. But, Sev - I... I won’t be easy to live with,” he confessed quietly. “Even Tran has her days where she snaps and growls at me.”

Sev grinned at him. “And I’ll probably hit you over the head with a gitar. Then again, there are many who would tell you that I can difficult to live with, my mother chief among them. You could be the one driven to gagging me and chaining me to the bed.”

~*~*~

Sev woke up the next morning to sore muscles and a feeling of contentment, and he rolled over to look at the beautiful greenrider curled around him. “Mine,” he whispered happily, waiting for those beautiful silver eyes to open.

K’vron groaned ever so slightly as overused muscles screamed in protest as he shifted. The movement brought him into direct contact with the warm heat of another body in his bed. Bolting up in blind panic, his eyes went wide and confused as he attempted to sort through the panicked response and the cotton in his brain. “Who? Where?” he garbled out in a panic, still not quite coherent.

Sev frowned, not overly pleased with that reaction or the sudden loss of contact between them. “Should I be insulted that you’ve forgotten my name already?” he teased laughingly, sitting up to kiss his lover, growing nervous at Kiv’s lack of response. “As for where, you really should recognize your own weyr, love.” He smiled a little uneasily. “Good morning,” he murmured, twining his arms around Kiv’s neck and hoping desperately for a response.

Blinking his eyes owlishly, Kiv’s mind raced frantically, and he tried to get himself under control. “Se-Sev? I - I was dreaming, got a little confused,” the greenrider muttered as he ducked his head in embarrassment, still a little leery of getting closer to the young man. The memories of the night before and the things he’d said and done and had allowed to be done to him came crashing down with a vengeance. Shells, he’d acted like such a slut!

Sev slowly sat back, his face falling, desperate unhappiness showing momentarily before he put on an expressionless mask. “I see.” He looked away, then climbed out of the bed and reached for his clothes. “If you could ask Tantrith to take me down to the lower caverns, I won’t bother you anymore.”

Kiv’s head snapped up, and he felt something cold echo within him and was suddenly deathly afraid. “W-wait!” he cried out, reaching for the young man in blind desperation. “Don’t go - don’t leave me too!”

“Kiv, I love you, but please, decide what you want. You’re tearing my heart out with this hot and cold all the time. Do you want me or not? We had an incredible night, but this morning you won’t even hug or kiss me.” Sev’s pain was clearly evident in his voice, even though he still had his back to Kiv.

Kiv hung his head in weary shame. “I don’t know how to do this, Sev; no one’s ever really - I want you to stay; I was just afraid you’d leave like all the rest. Would try to reach out after, but just got told thanks for the flight, was great, be seeing you. I...” He broke off, swallowing audibly as his hands shook with suppressed emotions, the strongest being fear. “Teach me how to do this too?” he begged softly.

Sev sighed and turned around to sit back down on the edge of the bed, dropping his clothes back on the floor. “Well, for a start, when I touch you, don’t stiffen up.” He met Kiv’s eyes. “You can hurt me, you know. I love you so much. He leaned into Kiv again, tentatively sliding his arms around his waist. “I won’t ever leave you unless you tell me to go.”

Kiv shivered slightly, then relaxed into the smaller man, leaning his head against Sev’s shoulder with a sigh that sounded almost content. “Don’t want you to go - ever. You’re inside me, just like Tran. Don’t think I could live without you either now.”

Sev smiled at his lover. “In that case, I’m going to start hitting you over the head with a gitar when you push me away! That should get the message through, even with a dragonrider’s thick skull.”

A tentative smile broke out on K’vron’s face. “Thank you - I know I’m difficult... actually Grandfather used to call me much worse than difficult,” he replied as memories rattled in their cage. “I’m just glad you’re crazy enough to love someone like me...” he trailed off quietly.

The harper chuckled quietly. “How could I not? The moment I saw you, I knew I could only ever be happy with you. Besides, I need someone to brush my hair.” He winked.

Kiv grinned. “I _like_ your hair; I _like_ what you do to me with your hair. You’re a wicked man, Harper Severin.”

“And glad I am to hear it. But I’m going to remind you of that a little later when we have to wash it.” He grinned widely. “You’re not exactly an innocent yourself, my greenrider. Better not plan to practice on anyone else from now on!” He stroked his lover’s back possessively.

“Don’t think I could even if I wanted to; seems that I lost a vital part of myself last night—not that I want it back—but since it doesn’t belong to me anymore,” Kiv tried to explain in a round about way. “That and Tran’s told me she’d singe my hair if I left the ‘little clutchling’ who can make me scream like a green about to blood. And then there’s what the other dragons say too. Apparently at least half the Weyr has an opinion one way or the other.”

Sev burst into laughter. “Have I mentioned how much I adore your dragon? Thank her for me, please. I’m a little underdressed to run out there to do it myself just now,” he smiled. “Just so you know, you stole my heart too, love.”

Kiv’s eyes went into a vacant, faraway stare as he conversed with his lifemate, passing on the message to the amused dragon. “She says she’s fond of you too - after all you fly almost as good as she does,” Kiv blushed, “and... I’m glad you know what I... I just need time to believe before I can say it,” he admitted softly. “Too many people say it and leave or hurt the one they... I don’t want to be like that - I want to mean it with every fiber of my being. I want it to feel like it did when Tran and I Impressed,” the greenrider explained as he placed a gentle kiss on his lover’s shoulder.

After chuckling at Tran’s comment, which Kiv relayed to him, Sev pressed a kiss to one flushed cheek. “You’re adorable when you’re embarrassed. I do understand, Kiv; I’ve never felt like this about anyone before either. I can wait as long as you need, just so long as you don’t push me away. I need you, love. You can’t imagine how much.”

“I’ll try not to, Sev - but you may have to use that gitar to take a swing at me from time to time,” he admitted with a rueful chuckle. “When it comes to Thread, I never forget a thing; when it comes to my personal life - I sometimes forget what Pass this is, let alone what Turn and what day.”

Sev smiled, pushing Kiv flat on his back and straddling the dragonrider as he smiled down at him. “Well, I’ll be right here every day to remind you and to love you.” He hesitated shyly. “That is, if you want me here?”

Kiv looked at his lover, adoration in his eyes even though he couldn’t say the words he so desperately wanted to. “Please. I know I acted like a wherry, but I really did like waking up next to someone... once I figured out that someone was you. I don’t think I’d be able to sleep without you here anymore,” he husked softly.

“That’s a relief. I haven’t been sleeping well alone since the day I got here and saw you.” It was the harper’s turn to blush faintly. “About the other night, that bluerider...”

“What bluerider?” he asked, truly confused. “All I saw was you.”

Sev sighed. “The one that I made a wherry of myself over, who asked you for _another_ ” he snarled slightly, involuntarily, “flight. I _am_ sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I just couldn’t help it.”

Kiv smiled gently. “It’s okay - I wasn’t really... _embarrassed_ ; I just couldn’t understand - I guess I still don’t,” he paused a moment. “Sev - you know what I am. Tran - well, she rises, and I’m her lifemate, so I’m gonna... get caught up in it. There are gonna be times when you aren’t around or I’m at another Weyr and... but I’ll still only really want to be with you,” he trailed off, not sure what else to say.

Sev stiffened, fighting not to say anything that would lose him this man when he was so close to getting everything he wanted. “I... understand,” he gritted out. “But I can’t pretend to be happy about it. The thought of someone else touching you...” He snarled, his fists clenching.

“I don’t want anyone else to touch me either - just you, Sev,” he whispered, pulling the younger man down for a hot kiss. “You’re the only one that I’ll fly - ever - no one else - only you,” the greenrider swore fervently, raining kisses over his lover’s face, trying desperately to show Sev that he was the only one Kiv wanted.

Sev held Kiv still so he could kiss him, claiming his mouth hungrily. “Gonna make sure I’m always around if Tran’s anywhere near rising, maybe tie us together. Don’t care what the other rider does, but you’re _mine_ ,” the young harper stated possessively.

Whimpering softly, Kiv opened his mouth wider to allow a more thorough claiming. “Yours,” he husked. “Need you, Sev, lo...” Kiv swallowed harshly around the word, as he tried desperately to say it but was unable to.

Sev ran his fingers through Kiv’s hair, holding his head so he could look into his eyes. “It’s okay, love, I can wait. I’ll just keep telling you how much I love you until you believe me.” He grinned. “Showing you too.”

Smiling shyly, Kiv turned to his lover. “Show me now?”

“With pleasure, my love.” He slowly undulated over Kiv’s body, teasing his lover into complete arousal. “Jays, you feel so good.” Then he frowned slightly, a sudden thought striking him. “I know I was kind of out of control last night, Kiv-love. Are you too sore? We can do it the other way.” He chuckled. “I like feeling you inside me too.”

Kiv whimpered seductively at the thought of flying as well as being flown by his heartmate. “Just want you - don’t care about the how and the who, just want to be a part of you and you a part of me. Severin - do something!”

Sev laughed softly, loving the sound Kiv begging. “But you haven’t told me yet which you want,” he pointed out, smiling innocently, the expression at odds with the hard cock he was rubbing against the older man’s belly. “I wouldn’t want to do something you don’t like.” The harper grinned mischievously.

Kiv growled something very blue at the younger man, his eyes snapping with lust and frustration. “If you don’t fuck me now, Harper Severin, I’m not going to be held responsible for my actions. I want you inside me, damn you!”

Sev giggled. “No need to get cranky, Kiv-love; all you had to do was say so. Is this what you had in mind?” He slid a single finger inside his lover.

Moaning voluptuously, Kiv arched his hips upwards into the finger, making it sink deeper within him. “Not enough - want you, not your finger. Please, Sev,” he pleaded softly. The younger man groaned softly at his lover’s words, hot eyes watching every motion of the twisting body. “Shells, you’re beautiful, lover.” He reached for the container of sweet oil beside the bed, coating his fingers, then working two inside the greenrider, carefully stretching him, teasing him at the same time. “I love to hear you moan for me. Tell me what you’re feeling, what you want...”

Kiv moaned. “I feel empty; I ache for you, Sev, ache to feel your hot, thick cock slide into me, claiming me and reminding me just who has possession of everything important to me. Shells!” he screamed softly, his breath hitching as Sev’s fingers brushed against his prostate, eliciting a nova bright flash of pleasure. “Jays, you... more... perfect... _mine_ ,” Kiv gasped, his head tossing back and forth on the pillow.

Sev moaned in turn, desperately aroused by his mate’s pleasure, unable to hold back any longer. “Yes, love, yours. And you’re mine.” He withdrew his fingers, though Kiv’s body arched, following them, trying to keep them inside him. “Need to claim you, feel you around me.” He slicked his aching erection and positioned himself at Kiv’s opening. “Take me inside you, Kiv. Show me that you want me,” he gritted out from between clenched teeth.

Kiv groaned softly and reached down to grasp the slick, hot cock even as he pushed backwards, feeling the flared head pop inside his anus. “Ohhhhhhh,” he moaned sibilantly as he continued to push backwards, taking more and more of his lover inside him until Sev was buried to the root. “So goood!” he moaned passionately.

Severin quivered with tension, fighting to remain still. “Love you.” He braced his hands on either side of Kiv’s head, leaning down to claim his mouth even as he claimed his body, tongue probing while his lower body remained still. “Shells!” He tore his mouth away, gasping for air. “Feel so good, so hot and tight, don’t ever want it to end.”

“Then don’t let it. Stay with me - forever, please?” K’vron asked breathlessly, before he lost his nerve again. “Need you, need you so much, my... heart,” he whispered, almost imperceptibly.

“Tran couldn’t chase me away from you, love,” Sev gritted out through teeth clenched as he fought to hold back the pleasure. “Meant I want to stay inside you forever. Don’t want this feeling to stop.”

He whimpered when Kiv’s ass tightened around him. “Love you, want you, need you,” he chanted as his hips began to move, unable to remain still another instant.

“Yes!” the greenrider cried out as he felt his lover, his mate, begin to take him harder and faster. “There, shells, right... love me - never stop loving me, Sev, ooooh shells!!!!”

Sev screamed Kiv’s name as his lover convulsed around him, his body arching into the dragonrider’s, his loose hair sticking to both passion-slicked bodies. “My love,” he whimpered softly as he slumped over Kiv, nuzzling into the warmth of the older man’s chest.

“My life,” the older man murmured without realizing he’d said it out loud as he held the younger man tightly to him.

The harper froze as he heard Kiv’s words. “Kiv?” Tears of joy trickled down his face as he pressed feverish kisses to his lover’s chest. “Love you, love you, love you,” he chanted as he clung to the older man.

“I... I do too,” the older man managed to get out as he caressed Sev, running his hands back and forth across his mate’s back. “My mate - my weyrmate if you’ll have me?”

Sev’s head jerked up to stare at Kiv in joyous amazement. “ _If_ I’ll have you?” He laughed tearfully. “I want that more than I want my next breath. You _are_ my next breath, and you always will be.” He pressed a tender kiss to Kiv’s lips.

Chuckling, the older man ran his fingers through his lover’s hair. “Good thing you said yes; Tran said she’d sear me to well done if I messed this up,” he teased Severin softly.

Sev giggled. “But you’d be absolutely no use to me in that state. Tell Tran she has to share you with me now, and I like my man uncooked.”

Kiv grinned crookedly. “Taking me warts and all, hunh? I’m a very lucky man.”

The harper sat up abruptly, pretending horror. “Warts? You didn’t say anything about _warts_. I’m going to have to rethink this!” He grinned, waiting to see what Kiv would do. He wasn’t sure how the greenrider would react to teasing.

Frowning at the younger man, Kiv replied, “But you just said...” and then a small grin quirked the side of his mouth as he realized that Severin had been trying to joke with him. “Well, if you really can’t live with my warts, I guess I’ll just have to find a handsome bluerider who will,” he teased back.

“Well, if you really think he will want your warts, I’m sure we could have a healer remove ‘em. No bluerider’s getting near any other part of you, though. Mine!” He leaned down to plant a quick kiss on the tip of Kiv’s nose. “Maybe I should get you a collar and tag?” He grinned to show he was teasing, at least for the moment, not wanting to scare the greenrider away no matter how much he’d love to see Kiv wearing a mark of his possession.

Kiv’s voice turned husky, and his silver eyes turned liquid metal with heat. “If you want to...”

Sev whimpered and swallowed hard, eyes glazing over momentarily at the mental image of a naked Kiv, wearing his collar. “Don’t want to embarrass you, love.” He shuddered with arousal. “No matter how hot that is!”

“Make it out of leather - like a choker - and I won’t be. I _like_ the idea of having a visible reminder of you,” he shuddered as he already felt the leather encasing his neck. “I wouldn’t mind, Sev, honestly.” The harper stared at him searchingly, then, satisfied with what he saw in Kiv’s eyes, leaned over the side of the bed, pawing through the pile of clothing he’d dropped till he came up with the wide, harper blue leather tie he’d used to restrain his thick hair the previous day. “You sure?” he asked, holding the leather lightly against Kiv’s throat.

Kiv swallowed visibly and nodded, his eyes bright and wide. “Please, Sev - do it.”

Sev shuddered, aroused by the idea and by Kiv’s submission to him. “Love you so much it hurts, Kiv,” he whispered as his hands fastened the leather band around his lover’s throat, easily long enough to fit comfortably. “ _Mine_ ,” he repeated as his hand petted the leather collar possessively.

The greenrider smiled sweetly even as he moaned in heat. “Yours - all yours. And you’re all mine, harper.”

Sev hissed his pleasure at those words. “Yes. Show me that I’m yours. Wanna feel you deep inside me,” he whimpered softly, rubbing a thigh against Kiv’s cock, which had started growing again the moment the leather had touched his throat. “Make me yours, Kiv-love.”

Kiv moaned softly at the erotic words as they brushed over him like a sisal caress. “Severin,” he husked as he stared into his weyrmate’s beautiful grey eyes. “Shells, how did I get so lucky?”

Rolling them over so that Sev was now on the bottom, Kiv snatched the oil from the bedside and coated his shaft thoroughly and slid into the already loosened portal, coming home. “Mine, jays - all mine just like I’m yours,” he moaned as he began to move inside the younger man, loving him with long, lazy strokes of his cock.

Sev groaned softly, his body arching up into Kiv’s possession, hair tangled around and beneath him. “I’m the lucky one,” he replied. “Didn’t think I was going to get you for a while there, but here we are. Together,” he added unnecessarily.

The four flits around the room crooned their approval, eyes whirling rapidly as they reflected their companions’ emotions.

The harper stared into his love’s eyes, one hand rising to pet the leather band around his throat. “Mine,” he repeated, his eyes almost glowing. “Only mine.”

K’vron’s eyes closed, and a delicious shudder wracked his long frame from the heat of his lover’s words. “Yours,” he swore passionately as desire demanded he move. Slowly he began to rock his hips back and forth once more, stroking Sev both internally and externally as his hand drifted down to caress his lover’s erection.

“Love you, love you, love you,” the older man chanted over and over again as he felt himself draw closer and closer to his orgasm. “So beautiful, my Sev, so hot and wicked...” he moaned quietly as his body went ramrod stiff. Then, with a few sharp staccato bursts of movement, Kiv was inundating his lover with his seed.

Severin cried out when he felt Kiv come inside him, the knowledge that he’d pleased this man acting on him like an aphrodisiac. He shuddered rapturously, his own climax taking him almost by surprise, the still hard cock pressed against his prostate only adding to his pleasure.

Finally, the paroxysm of pleasure released him, and he slumped over Kiv’s body, careful not to dislodge his lover’s cock from its haven. He licked languidly at the beads of sweat glistening on the greenrider’s chest, almost purring his contentment.

A sudden thought made him chuckle. “Glad you already asked me to weyrmate with you. When we get up, you’re going to see just how much work this hair of mine really is. It’s filthy!” He flicked a stiffened lock over his shoulder and sighed.

Kiv groaned playfully then squirmed as Sev swatted him. Looking at the waterclock on his dressing table, he sat up abruptly, dislodging his lover in the process. Ignoring his mate’s squeak of protest, Kiv’s eyes went hazy as he reached out to Tantrith with his thoughts.

 _Is it really almost time for drills?_ he asked, desperately hoping he was wrong.

 _You have enough time to get clean and grab a cup of klah and a muffin - if you make it quick,_ Tran chortled softly. _Told you that you two would fly well together._

“Shells, Sev, I’m so sorry to do this to you - but I’ve gotta fly - literally. I’ve got drills in less than half a candlemark, and I’ve gotta get washed and grab some breakfast.”

Kissing the younger man, Kiv jumped out of bed and raced towards the bathing room, grabbing riding clothes along the way. “I promise to ask a weyrling to come get you. Sleep some more; ask the weyrlings to help move you in; move whatever you want to feel at home - but I gotta go!”

Sev gaped at him in disbelief, his jaw hanging open. “I do _not_ believe this,” he muttered, grumbling to himself. He was still sitting in the middle of the bed when Kiv came tearing back out of the bathing room and skidded to a halt beside the bed, eyeing him anxiously. He shook his head.

“You know,” he said conversationally, “one of these days we’re going to have a conversation or other encounter that doesn’t end with you walking or running away!” Unable to hold back another moment, he burst into laughter.

“Go, love, I know you can’t be late for drills. I’ll clean up and start moving my things into _our_ weyr.” He looked around, a smug, possessive smile on his face as he imagined his belongings mixed in with Kiv’s. “And maybe tonight we can skip the emotional scenes and go straight to loving each other into exhaustion.” He blew a kiss at his lover. “Think about that while you’re drilling,” he said with a mischievous smile before cuddling back down into the bedding to get the sleep he hadn’t gotten the night before.


End file.
